Visitor center progressing
By STU MERRY
With winter approaching, crews continue work on the new visitor center and administrative building at Fort Stevenson State Park.
Interior and exterior work are ongoing. Paving is planned for this week. Final grading of the parking area was completed last week.
Contractors and state park officials had hoped to be farther along with the project. Crews have been delayed this summer. Some of the delays were due to the heavy rains in August which kept the excavator crew from being able to work on the parking and sidewalk areas.
Chad Trautman, state park manager, said there have been other delays such as materials and getting crews on site. "However, it seems that is the norm in North Dakota anymore," he said.
Trautman added the contractor, Northwestern Contracting, feels confident that it will be completed this fall.
What is left to do? Trautman said interior work includes painting, flooring, ceiling tiles, doors, bathroom fixtures and cabinets. Exterior work includes brick, siding, landscaping and light poles.
